Swine Flu

[Nelson]

I have been offered the injection for my twenty month year old son to get. Just wondered what everyone elses thoughts on this was? Should I do it or not?

[The Nappy Lady]

This thread may help, though I'm still dithering, think I am going to get my 15 month old done, but not my 5 year old :))

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,404796

[The Nappy Lady]

Update - both my girls had the Swine Flu Jab yesterday at 4pm....my 5 year old decided she WANTED to get it done, and she's been fine other than going to bed early both last night and tonight...sore arm and very tired, but OK.

Baby C, 16 months has been really poorly today though....went to bed OK last night, but was awake from about 4.30am on and off, in bed with me, crying, and temperature top end of normal, with regular doses of Calprofen since 5am. Her thigh where they injected is clearly very sore as she can't bear you to go near touching it. Poor little mite has spent the whole day in my arms, or breast feeding, and wimpering. Totally listless. I did manage to do a Nappy Demo, with her Godmother cuddling her for 2 hours (thank goodness for her help), but I feel totally exhausted, and my back feels like it is locked solid from tension, and from cuddling her all day.

Does anyone else find that when their little ones are ill they seems to absorb tension and worry like a magnet? All my common sense tells me she will be fine in another 24 hours or so, but even so I feel really drained by it all, and upset for the poor little girl, and guilty for having put her through this.

Molly

[candj]

My two also had the swine flu jab last week (2 1/2 and 5 years old). Just a lump in both of their legs around the injection site, but other then that, nothing.

Molly, our GP said they might be ill for 24-48 hours after the jab and said that a bit of Calpol should they be grizzly would be fine (as you're doing with the Calprofen). Fingers crossed baby C recovers soon.

-C x

[snowboarder]

Oh dear - poor C and you! This is my worry too with the jab...such a difficult decision. Sure she will be fine but yes when they are ill it is completely knackering. BabySB won't even cuddle, just cries constantly.

Hope better tonight/tomorrow. I still have to decide on the jab, but am waiting until he is at least well - this constant cold is getting a bit much now!

[The Nappy Lady]

Yes, you've had a rotten run of sickness too haven't you. The girls had the sickness bug over the weekend too, so one way and another I am worn out.

Funny thing is in some ways it is easier with her poorly because I can literally sit and cuddle her and watch TV, like with a newborn, it is just the tension....I seem to get so tense. Sigh.

Did get to watch a 3 hour film one Sunday lunchtime which was pretty amazing, haven't done that for a long time!

Molly

[redjam]

I have also agonised about this, not least because when I spoke to the doctor's receptionist and asked whether they'd seen lots of swine flu cases recently, she looked blank and said hardly any. So I did wonder whether putting my 2-year-old through a couple of days of feeling unwell was worth it for the seemingly low risk of her catching the virus. But in the end I thought how terrible I would feel if she did catch swine flu and I could have prevented her having it (as by all accounts it's a pretty hideous illness, even if it's not as much of a killer as was first made out). So I have an appointment with the nurse tomorrow and she'll be getting the jab.

Mind you, I am holding out getting our 5-year-old vaccinated till I see how it affects my younger daughter. And judging from the posts above, the next 48 hours aren't going to be fun...

[Belle]

am also undecided and also have the problem of constant overlapping cold etc preventing us getting it anyway, along with the 12 month boosters and MMR. sigh. My boy doesn't snuggle either so this latest bug hasn't been fun - did try to get him to watch To Kill a Mockingbird with me but he just constantly cried to be down, then cried to be back up again. Argh. Guess some babies are just snugglier than others! I too get really tense when they're ill Molly, and find it extremely wearing, it's so odd when they're not themselves isn't it? You just want to see them smiling again!

[fmay]

My 10 month old had the jab a few days ago and has been fine....no apparent arm soreness and no temp, crying etc. I think some babies react badly and are unwell for a couple of days and others have no reaction at all. I wasn't sure whether to do it because I didn't want to make him ill but the doc persuaded me that full blown swine flu would me MUCH worse and luckily he has been fine.

[Smiler]

My almost-2-year-old had the jab a few weeks ago, no problems at all.

The receptionists at the doctors may well not know about any swine flu cases, as people are advised to contact the national line rather than attend the GP.

[redjam]

Update: my two-year-old had the jab first thing this morning and she's also been fine ever since. Glad I did it now - I was even wavering while in the actual surgery as the nurse was saying she'd had it and it had given her a very painful arm for four days. But I'm glad I went with it now as my daughter doesn't seem to be suffering at all - I even picked her up earlier by gripping the top of her arms (forgot that was where she'd had the jab) and she didn't object in the slightest. So sounds like some lucky kids can get away without any pain/discomfort. The nurse I spoke to wasn't convinced that swine flu is going round much at the moment (though I take your point, Smiler, that they might not necessarily know about it) but at least I feel I've got peace of mind now.

[bonaome]

I'd say ask your doctor. Unless you're a statistician and able to review the publicly available data and form your own unbiased objective opinion balancing the risks. We humans (me included) are very good at gossip, subjective waffle and conjecture based on less than half the facts. We personally know someone who's had a terible bout of swine flu, or died, and we would never even question the value of the jab. Or, we know someone who's had a mild bout and we're really wondering if there's a point in having the jab. Of course both are each just one case out of millions; not at all the whole picture. For a view of that you need an expert, and your doctor is probably as close as you're going to get.

You might also like to look at the Information is Beautiful post on is the swine flu jab safe

http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/2009/is-the-h1n1-swine-flu-vaccine-safe/

US data, but lots of links which could help you uncover more of the facts for yourself for the UK case.

[The Nappy Lady]

Update: baby C only woke once in the night and re-settled easily.

Much more herself today with a bit of help from Calpol.

Phew.

Molly

[ladywotlunches]

Smiler - except I caught something on the TV the other day that said the national swine flu helpline has now been closed due to lack of people calling it. Which to me says a lot about how much of a 'pandemic' this has turned out to be....

[TE44]

http://lesbonner.mycouncillor.org.uk/2009/08/08/16-uear-olds-are-manning-the-phones-at-swine-flu-call-centre/

If this is true, 16year olds answering the calls, the statistics may be a bit off.

I'm just glad the goverment didn't use there power to make the vaccination mandatory.